Mixed fluid turbine

ABSTRACT

Method and apparatus for generating power in response of a fluid flowing through a set of reaction nozzles mounted on a rotating rotor wheel. Two fluid streams are initially employed, one being the cool fluid, and the other stream being the hot fluid; these two streams are then compressed within said rotor wheel, passed to a mixing area within said wheel, and then discharged through said nozzles. Also, a system using air as the cool fluid, and air heated by burning fuel in said air as the hot fluid, is disclosed.

United States Patent 1 1 1111 3,756,021 Eskeli 1451 Sept. 4, 1973 I MIXED FLUID TURBINE 2,944,785 7/1960 Sampietro 415 102 0 4 A [76] Inventor: Michael Eskeli, 2932 Sandage Ave., 34 mm "7/406 X Fort worth 76mg Primary Examiner-Carlton R. Croyle [22] Filed: Oct. 26, 1971 Assistant Examiner-Robert E. Garrett [2]] App] No 192 383 Attorney-Wofi'ord, Felsman & Fails 57 ABSTRACT [52] U.S. Cl. 60/39.02, 60/3943, 415/80, 1

415/102 417/406 Method and apparatus for generatmg power 1n re- 51 1111. c1. F0ld 1/18 FOld 3/02 spmse fluid Wing hmugh reaction [58] Field 01 Search 60/201 39.34 39.35 Z188 mmmed mating wheelfluid 0 39 0 9 4 39 43. 415 9 streams are employed, one being the CO0] fluid, 4117/72 406 4 and the other stream being the hot fluid; these two streams are then compressed within said rotor wheel, [56] References Cited passed to a mixing area within said wheel, and then discharged through said nozzles. Also, a system using air UNITED STA TES PATENTS as the cool fluid, and air heated by burning fuel in said l:lag ll 60/3934 X air as the hot fluid is i l v 1 anveau 2,669,836 2/1954 Abbott 60/3934 UX 10 Claims, 5 Drawing lO l9 PATENTED SEP 4 W5 3 7 56 O 2 l SHEET 1 (If 2 INVENTOR.

H62. 8 BY MM Mu;

PATENTEUSEP 4 ms sum 2 0F 2 INVENTOR.

MIXED FLUID TURBINE This invention relates generally to devices for generating power in response to a change in enthalpy and pressure of a fluid being flowed through a set of reaction nozzles mounted on a rotating wheel.

The art of generating power has seen a variety of devices. Reaction nozzles, mounted on a suitable rotating member, have been used for power generation, with a fluid, such as water or steam, being flowed through said nozzles to generate said power. These devices have a poor thermal efficiency, due mainly to their configuration and the way the gas is passed within the rotating member.

FIG. 1 illustrates a cross section of the power generating device, and

FIG. 2 is an end view of the same unit shown in FIG. I.

FIG. 3 is a cross section of the rotating member of the unit shown in FIG. 1, and

FIG. 4 is another cross section of the same rotating member.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a system utilizing the device shown in FIG. 1.

It is an object of this invention to provide a simplified and efficient method for generating power, wherein a single rotating member is used to compress a gas within said member, then mix said compressed gas with another gas stream within said rotating member, and then discharging the mixed gas stream from said rotating member via reaction nozzles mounted on said rotating memberfrom a higher pressure to a lower pressure thereby generating said power. The said primary gas stream enters the said rotor at a lower temperature, and the said secondary gas stream enters the'said rotor at a higher temperature; thereby the secondary gas stream is used to heat the primary gas stream when these two streams are joined within said rotor.

Referring to FIG. 1, therein is shown a cross section of said power generating device. is the unit casing, II is a space around rotor 13 for collecting the discharged gas from said rotor, 12 is a gas passage within said rotor, 27 is a gas inlet to said rotor 13, and 14 is a gas inlet to the unit, 15 is a seal and bearing for rotor shaft 16, 17 is a bearing and seal for the rotor, 18 is unit base, 19 is fluid discharge from unit, 20 are internal vanes within said rotor, 21 are rotor seal and bearing, 22 is another fluid inlet to said rotor, 23 is a separating member within said rotor, 24 is a fluid passage within said rotor, 25 is a rotor reaction nozzle.

In FIG. 2, 10 is casing, 11 is space around rotor 13, I4 is fluid inlet, 16 is rotor shaft, 18 is unit base.

In FIG. 3, an end cross section of the unit rotor is shown. 13 is said rotor, 25 are reaction nozzles mounted on said rotor and arranged to discharge said fluid backward in direction that is away from the direction of rotation, 20 are internal vanes within said rotor, 24 are fluid passages for the fluid wherein said fluid passes from the compression area of said rotor to the mixing area of said rotor, 26 is an arrow indicating the direction of rotation for said rotor.

In FIG. 4, a cross section of the same rotor shown in FIG. 3, is illustrated. 13 is the rotor, 12 are fluid passages, 25 is a reaction nozzle, 24 is a fluid passage, 23 is a separating member for said rotor interior, 20 is an internal vane for said rotor, 22 is fluid inlet to said rotor, 27 is a fluid inlet to said rotor, 16 is rotor shaft.

In FIG. 5, a schematic diagram for a system utilizing the device of FIG. 1, is shown; this diagram illustrates a way of employing the turbine advantageously but is not intended to be the only way that said turbine may be employed. 30 is the power generating turbine, similar to the device shown in FIG. 1, connected via shaft 31 to an external load, such as an electric generator, 32; ambient air is supplied to a supercharging compressor 37 via line 38, with said air being passed to the turbine inlet in pressurized condition. Another compressor 34 is supplied with ambient air via line 36, with said air being passed in pressurized condition to a combustor 33, where said air is heated to a predetermined temperature, and then passed to the other turbine inlet. Fuel is passed to the said combustor via line 35. Line 39 indicates the fluid discharge from said turbine.

In operation, and referring to FIG. 1, a cooler fluid enters the unit via inlet 22 and is passed to the rotor 13 interior. Within said rotor said fluid is compressed by centrifugal action on said fluid by said rotating rotor with vanes 20 assuring that said fluid will rotate with said rotor. As is well known, per U. S. Pat. No. 3,541,787, rotation of a rotor is initiated by a suitable starter in these type power generating devices. Similarly, a hot fluid enters said rotor via the other entry 27, and is compressed within said rotor. Both fluid streams will pass from the compressing area of said rotor to the mixing area via openings 12 and 24 as shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4. In said mixing area, the hot fluid is employed to heat the colder fluid; the fluid mixture is then passed via said reaction nozzles to the discharge. The said reaction nozzles will generate a torque on said rotor; this torque is then passed to the rotor shaft and from there to a load, as the useful power output of the unit.

Said reaction nozzles may be either converging or converging-diverging in shape as required for the fluid. Said nozzles are sized and shaped to provide the highest attainable fluid exit velocity from said reaction nozzles.

The separating wall 23 of the said rotor 13, may be provided with thermal insulation if desired, to prevent heat passage from the warmer fluid to the cooler fluid.

The casing may be fitted closely to the rotor walls as shown in FIG. 1; the rotation of the rotor will partially evacuate the space between the rotor and easing thereby reducing losses due to fluid friction.

The operation of the power generating turbine in the system shown in FIG. 5, is similar to the description of operation hereinbefore. In the system of FIG. 5, a supercharger is used to pressurize the cooler entry air to the unit. Also, the hot air is pressurized by using a supercharger, and then passed through a combustor where heat is added by burning a fuel within said air. In the power generating turbine 30, both fluid streams are pressurized, then mixed and discharged as described hereibefore. By using superchargers to pressurize the entry air streams, a precise proportion between the two fluid streams can be maintained; also, better thermal efficiency can be obtained from the said turbine when the entry air is at an elevated pressure. However, for the cooler air, pressurizing is not mandatory; for the warm air entry, blower is normally required since the heated air will have a lower density and will not attain required pressure within said rotor.

The unit shown in FIG. 1 may be used with various fluid combinations. For example, air may be used as the cooler fluid, and steam used as the warm fluid. Also,

heated fluid from some other process or system may be used as the warm fluid for the turbine.

Appropriate and well known equipment, instrumentation and governors may be used with the device described hereinbefore. They do not form any part of this invention and are not further described herein.

The number of reaction nozzles mounted on said rotor is shown to be two nozzles; the number of nozzles used will depend on the design of the unit.

The fluids being used for the unit described hereinbefore may be gaseous, or may be gas with some liquid. Also, for the cool fluid, a volatile liquid may be used, and for the hot fluid, heated liquid may also be used. The fluid mixture, as it issues from said reaction nozzles, should be partially gaseous, for best efficiency.

I claim:

1. A method of generating power in response to flow of fluid through an apparatus wherein a power delivery shaft is connected with a rotor comprising the steps of:

a. flowing a first fluid into a rotor and while within the confines of said rotor subjecting said first fluid to a centrifugal force field via compressing centrifuge action with low radial velocity component to effect a high pressure fluid at the peripheral portion of said rotor;

b. admixing a hot, high pressure second fluid with said high pressure fluid to add heat thereto; and

c. passing the heated high pressure fluid out of reaction nozzles oriented to provide a tangential reaction force to the periphery of said rotor such that the reaction force to said fluid being passed out of said reaction nozzles is imparted to said rotor to deliver power to said shaft.

2. The method of claim 1 whereinsaid step of admixing said hot, high pressure second fluid with said high pressure fluid is effected by the steps of:

a. flowing said hot, high pressure second fluid into an inlet port on the other side of said rotor from the side into which said first fluid is flowed; and

b. subjecting said hot, high pressure second fluid,

while within the confines of said rotor to said centrifugal force field via said compressing centrifuge action with low radial velocity component such that said hot, high pressure second fluid will have a pressure great enough to admix with said high pressure fluid at the peripheral portion of said rotor.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said hot, high pressure second fluid has a pressure greater than said first fluid at the entry into said rotor to ensure that the centrifugal force field will effect sufficient compression of said hot, high pressure second fluid compared with the cooler said first fluid.

4. A device for generating power responsive to flow of fluid therethrough comprising:

a. a power shaft journalled for rotation in a suitable support for transmission of power;

b. a rotating compressing centrifuge rotor carried on said shaft for generating said power; said compressing centrifuge rotor including:

i. an inlet port disposed adjacent the center of said compressing centrifuge rotor for entrance of a first fluid thereinto;

ii. a plurality of interior vanes defining passageways therebetween; said passageways communicating with said inlet port and having a first, relatively large, cross sectional area and having disposed at the peripheral portion thereof respective obstructions with fluid passages of a second cross sectional area less than said first cross sectional area to ensure that a first fluid flowed into a compressing centrifuge rotor is moved outwardly at a low radial velocity component and attains the same rotational speed as said compressing centrifuge rotor so as to be subjected to a centrifugal force field sufficient to elevate its pressure to form a high pressure fluid; iii. means for admixing a hot, high pressure second fluid with said high pressure fluid within said compressing centrifuge rotor for adding heat thereto; said means for admixing said hot, high pressure second fluid being adapted for connection with a source of said hot, high pressure second fluid; iv. a plurality of reaction nozzles disposed at the radially outermost portion of said passageways; said reaction nozzles being sized and shaped to effect maximum effluent velocity of the mixture of said first and second fluids from said compressing centrifuge rotor and having a cross sectional area less than the cross sectional area of said passageways to ensure that said first fluid is compressed by compressing centrifuge action at the operational high rotational speeds of said compressing centrifuge rotor; said reaction nozzles being disposed so as to direct the effluent fluids tangentially of said compressing centrifuge rotor for developing power that is proportional to the velocity difference between the tangential velocity of the effluent fluids and the tangential velocity of said nozzles and consequently said compressing centrifuge rotor; and

said rotor having heavy duty construction sufficient to withstand high rotational speeds; and c. a casing sealingly surrounding said compressing centrifuge rotor; said casing defining a passageway surrounding said compressing centrifuge rotor for collection of said effluent fluid.

S. The device of claim 4 wherein said compressing centrifuge rotor comprises:

a. a first side for compressing said first fluid; and

b. a second side for compressing a hot second fluid to form said hot, high pressure second fluid; said second side including:

i. a second inlet port disposed adjacent the center of said compressing centrifuge rotor for entrance of said second fluid thereinto;

ii. a plurality of interior vanes defining passageways therebetween; said passageways communicating with said second inlet port and having a first large cross sectional area and having disposed at the peripheral portion thereof respective obstructions with fluid passages of a second cross sectional area less than said first cross sectional area to ensure that said second fluid flowed into said compressing centrifuge rotor is moved outwardly at a low radial velocity component and attains the same rotational speed as said compressing centrifuge rotor so as to be subjected to said centrifugal force field sufficient to elevate its pressure to form a second high pressure fluid; said compressing centrifuge rotor having a peripheral chamber connected with said fluid passages of both said first and second sides of said compressing centrifuge rotor for admission of said first and second fluids, respectively, into said peripheral chamber to form a heated admixture of fluids; wherein said plurality of reaction nozzles communicate with said peripheral chamber; said discharge apertures having a third cross sectional area also less than the first cross sectional area of the respective passageways intermediate the vanes of the respective sides of the compressing centrifuge rotor.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein said second side of said compressing centrifuge rotor is adapted for connection with a source of said hot, high pressure second fluid such that the second entry pressure of said hot, high pressure second fluid is greater than the first entry pressure of said first fluid and the combined pressure of the second entry pressure and the pressure exerted by said compressing centrifuge rotor on said second fluid is at least as great as the total pressure on said first fluid such that there is admixture of said first and second fluids in said peripheral chamber under operative rotational speeds of said compressing centrifuge rotor.

7. The device of claim 6 wherein said source of said hot, high pressure second fluid is connected with said second inlet port.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein a source of said first fluid at super atmospheric pressure is connected with said inlet port of said first side of said compressing centrifuge rotor for supercharged operation and wherein said source of said hot, high pressure second fluid is connected with said second inlet port at a pressure that is higher than the super atmospheric pressure of said source of said first fluid.

9. The device of claim 8 wherein said source of said hot, high pressure second fluid comprises a compressor for supplying air at super atmospheric pressure, a fuel source at super atmospheric pressure, a combustion chamber connected with said compressor and said fuel source and connected with said second inlet port; and wherein said hot, high pressure second fluid comprises combustion products from said combustion chamber located exteriorly of said compressing centrifuge rotor and said casing of said device.

10. The device of claim 4 wherein said compressing centrifuge rotor has smooth ends and said casing has receiving ends closely and conformingly receiving said ends of said rotor such that the high rotational speed of said compressing centrifuge rotor partially evacuates the space between said ends and said receiving ends for a reduced friction at high rotational speeds. 

1. A method of generating power in response to flow of fluid through an apparatus wherein a power delivery shaft is connected with a rotor comprising the steps of: a. flowing a first fluid into a rotor and while within the confines of said rotor subjecting said first fluid to a centrifugal force field via compressing centrifuge action with low radial velocity component to effect a high pressure fluid at the peripheral portion of said rotor; b. admixing a hot, high pressure second fluid with said high pressure fluid to add heat thereto; and c. passing the heated high pressure fluid out of reaction nozzles oriented to provide a tangential reaction force to the periphery of said rotor such that the reaction force to said fluid being passed out of said reaction nozzles is imparted to said rotor to deliver power to said shaft.
 2. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of admixing said hot, high pressure second fluid with said high pressure fluid is effected by the steps of: a. flowing said hot, high pressure second fluid into an inlet port on the other side of said rotor from the side into which said first fluid is flowed; and b. subjecting said hot, high pressure second fluid, while within the confines of said rotor to said centrifugal force field via said compressing centrifuge action with low radial velocity component such that said hot, high pressure second fluid will have a pressure great enough to admix with said high pressure fluid at the peripheral portion of said rotor.
 3. The method of claim 2 wherein said hot, high pressure second fluid has a pressure greater than said first fluid at the entry into said rotor to ensure that the centrifugal force field will effect sufficient compression of said hot, high pressure second fluid compared with the cooler said first fluid.
 4. A device for generating power responsive to flow of fluid therethrough comprising: a. a power shaft journalled for rotation in a suitable support for transmission of power; b. a rotating compressing centrifuge rotor carried on said shaft for generating said power; said compressing centrifuge rotor including: i. an inlet port disposed adjacent the center of said compressing centrifuge rotor for entrance of a first fluid thereinto; ii. a plurality of interior vanes defining passageways therebetween; said passageways communicating with said inlet port and having a first, relatively large, cross sectional area and having disposed at the peripheral portion thereof respective obstructions with fluid passages of a second cross sectional area less than said first cross sectional area to ensure that a first fluid flowed into a compressing centrifuge rotor is moved outwardly at a low radial velocity component and attains the same rotational speed as said compressing centrifuge rotor so as to be subjected to a centrifugal force field sufficient to elevate its pressure to form a high pressure fluid; iii. means for admixing a hot, high pressure second fluid with said high pressure fluid within said compressing centrifuge rotor for adding heat thereto; said means for admixing said hot, high pressure second fluid being adapted for connection with a source of said hot, high pressure second fluid; iv. a plurality of reaction nozzles disposed at the radially outermost portion of said passageways; said reaction nozzles being sized and shaped to effect maximum effluent velocity of the mixture of said first and second fluids from said compressing centrifuge rotor and having a cross sectional area less than the cross sectional area of said passageways to ensure that said first fluid is compressed by compressing centrifuge action at the operational high rotational speeds of said compressing centrifuge rotor; said reaction nozzles being disposed so as to direct the effluent fluids tangentially of said compressing centrifuge rotor for developing power that is proportional to the velocity difference between the tangential velocity of the effluent fluids and the tangential velocity of said nozzles and consequently said compressing centrifuge rotor; and v. said rotor having heavy duty construction sufficient to withstand high rotational speeds; and c. a casing sealingly surrounding said compressing centrifuge rotor; said casing defining a passageway surrounding said compressing centrifuge rotor for collection of said effluent fluid.
 5. The device of claim 4 wherein said compressing centrifuge rotor comprises: a. a first side for compressing said first fluid; and b. a second side for compressing a hot second fluid to form said hot, high pressure second fluid; said second side including: i. a second inlet port disposed adjacent the center of said compressing centrifuge rotor for entrance of said second fluid thereinto; ii. a plurality of interior vanes defining passageways therebetween; said passageways communicating with said second inlet port and having a first large cross sectional area and having disposed at the peripheral portion thereof respective obstructions with fluid passages of a second cross sectional area less than said first cross sectional area to ensure that said second fluid flowed into said compressing centrifuge rotor is moved outwardly at a low radial velocity component and attains the same rotational speed as said compressing centrifuge rotor so as to be subjected to said centrifugal force field sufficient to elevate its pressure to form a second high pressure fluid; said compressing centrifuge rotor having a peripheral chamber connected with said fluid passages of both said first and second sides of said compressing centrifuge rotor for admission of said first and second fluids, respectively, into said peripheral chamber to form a heated admixture of fluids; wherein said plurality of reaction nozzles communicate with said peripheral chamber; said discharge apertures having a third cross sectional area also less than the first cross sectional area of the respective passageways intermediate the vanes of the respective sides of the compressing centrifuge rotor.
 6. The device of claim 5 wherein said second side of said compressing centrifuge rotor is adapted for connection with a source of said hot, high pressure second fluid such that the second entry pressure of said hot, high pressure second fluid is greater than the first entry pressure of said first fluid and the combined pressure of the second entry pressure and the pressure exerted by said compressing centrifuge rotor on said second fluid is at least as great as the total pressure on said first fluid such that there is admixture of said first and second fluids in said peripheral chamber under operative rotational speeds of said compressing centrifuge rotor.
 7. The device of claim 6 wherein said source of said hot, high pressure second fluid is connected with said second inlet port.
 8. The device of claim 7 wherein a source of said first fluid at super atmospheric pressure is connected with said inlet port of said first side of said compressing centrifuge rotor for supercharged operation and wherein said source of said hot, high pressure second fluid is connected with said second inlet port at a pressure that is higher than the super atmospheric pressure of said source of said first fluid.
 9. The device of claim 8 wherein said source of said hot, high pressure second fluid comprises a compressor for supplying air at super atmospheric pressure, a fuel source at super atmospheric pressure, a combustion chamber connected with said compressor and said fuel source and connected with said second inlet port; and wherein said hot, high pressure second fluid comprises combustion products from said combustion chamber located exteriorly of said compressing centrifuge rotor and said casing of said device.
 10. The device of claim 4 wherein said compressing centrifuge rotor has smooth ends and said casing has receiving ends closely and conformingly receiving said ends of said rotor such that the high rotational speed of said compressing centrifuge rotor partially evacuates the space between said ends and said receiving ends for a reduced friction at high rotational speeds. 